


Home Is Where The Heart IS

by rachelarcher



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Ariel is legit the chillest wife ever, Cas is a teacher, Dean is married not to Cas, Dysfunctionally Functional Family, F/F, F/M, M/M, age gap between sam and dean is altered, and various other characters - Freeform, bobby has a daughter, dean does a thousand jobs, gabriel will be along shortly promise, rufus is mentioned, sorry - Freeform, there are several children, this isnt cheatin, will add tags as needed, will see snapshots of charlie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 06:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7880491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelarcher/pseuds/rachelarcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Cas have been dating for about five months. After a terrible fight Cas aims to surprise Dean at home, he however is in for a surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Is Where The Heart IS

[](http://s1174.photobucket.com/user/rachel_walton4/media/FotoJet%20Collage_zps8yxb8s6o.jpg.html)

**So the story goes...**

Castiel Novak was trembling, he was shaking standing on the crooked wooden porch that belonged to Singer and Sons Salvage. Castiel looked at the door knob then the bouquet of wildflowers in his hand. He knew he shouldn’t have come here, the argument last night still heavy on his mind. He yearned to apologize to Dean, he shouldn’t have pushed about Dean’s home life. The younger man was allowed his secrets, just like Castiel.

He was turning to leave when the door opened, a tan girl, with blue eyes, and a baby on her hip opened the door. “You looked miserable, your Cas right? Come in. Dean left in a sour ass mood last night, come on.” She beckoned, taking the flowers from him.

“Uhm, not to be rude, but who… uhm, who are you?” Castiel asked trailing behind the pretty little girl. 

“My name is Ariel.” She offered. “Ariel Winchester. And you’d better sit down.” She motioned to the chair. “Dean isn’t good at explaining, and to be honest you're the first… serious relationship.” She paused. She was grabbing at a vase just above her head, she filled it with water, and dropped the flowers into it. He might have objected, but he was still confused.

The living room was a whirl of movement. “MOM!” A set of boys shouted.

“Ari, make them help me.” A slightly older boy grumbled.

“Huuuush!” She snarled. “Sammy, take Atlas here, and Adam and Ben, and run up to Pawpaw’s. I need to talk to Mr. Novak.” 

Sammy, the older boy, nodded, taking the chubby baby boy from her arms, corralling the younger two. “Is Lucas up there already?”

“Yeah, Lucas had a volcano to make so Pawpaw is helping him.” She opened the door and shooed them out. 

“Who…” Castiel looked after them.

“In good time, you like tea, Cas?”

“Uhm, sure.” He took time to study the barefoot beauty. Her hair was messily braided down her back, brown curls falling out here and there. She was tanned, with pouty red lips. High waisted shorts, and a black racer back tank top tucked in. She poured two cups of sweet tea, placing one at the placemat in front of him. If she was his competition for Dean’s affection he was screwed.

“I should start at the beginning, huh.” She grinned, Cas ran his fingers through his bedhead black locks, and cocked his head to the side. “Dean and his little brother Sam came to live with my daddy, when I was thirteen. Dean and I are the same age. Sammy was four then. My dad, Bobby Singer, was already a single parent. Their father John had served overseas with my dad. John lost his mind, burned their mother up in a fire, then killed himself.” She paused, letting everything sink in.

“Uh, should you be telling me all this?” Castiel asked.

“Dean will be mad, but he’ll forgive me.” She sighed. “So, Dean and I are nine years older than Sammy. The court wouldn’t let dad adopt Sam, or Dean, for that matter. Since he didn’t have a wife. When Dean turned 18, the courts threatened to take Sammy away from us, he was only about nine. Dean and I got married, quick, then petitioned for custody of Sam.” 

“Your married!?!” Castiel’s mind was racing. He started to stand, apologize, or something.

“Stop, sit.” She ordered, he complied. “Ain’t out of love.” She grumbled. “Let me continue.” He nodded. “So, custody of Sam was easy to get since we were married. Dean’s bi, but I guess you know that.” She laughed. “Sammy is fourteen now. So, for the last five years we’ve had him. Not long after we got married two of Dean’s x-girlfriends showed up. One, Katy Millington, and two, Lisa Breaden. Each had a child by Dean, and they were not about to take responsibility for. Actually, we are pretty sure neither belong to Dean, but we will get to that. Katy left Adam, Lisa left Ben, both are now married with other children. Dean filed for custody, and I legally became their mom. At the time, Adam was two, and Ben was one.”

“So, those older kids are his…” 

“Yes, Lucas is mine, he was born before Dean and I got married… man named Crowley came through town, traveling salesman, daddy didn’t buy what he was selling, but I guess I did. Lucas was born when I was 15. He’s eight, Adam is seven, and Ben is six.” She paused. “Dean’s the name on his birth certificate, too.” She sighed. “Only kid we know for sure is Dean’s is Atlas, he’ll be one in a month.”

“If you two…”

“Hold on, cowboy, I am getting to it.” She sighed, then winked at him. “Happened before he met you.” She winked at him. “Fourth of July last year Dean had a patch of rough luck, his best friend Benny died in a car wreck down in New Orleans, Dean was his emergency contact, Benny grew up in foster care, and didn’t have any parents.” She paused. “Dean had to drive down and get him. It was hard on him, he got real drunk, real mean.” She sighed, “There are moments when his daddy’s demons reared their ugly head in Dean, but not often.”

“What happened?”

“Scared the kids and Sammy half to death. Slammed me and daddy around, managed to lock him into baby with me, sure you heard about the Impala.” Castiel nodded. “One thing led to another, and we got Atlas.” She laughed. “We love him, love the older boys, but were just best friends. Dean is more into guys than girls.” 

“We fought last night.” Castiel eyed the younger woman. “He’s so fucking perfect, and I’m just some loser who teaches school…”

“He was upset, when he came home. Said you were asking about him moving in, asking why you couldn’t leave the garage more. I guess you see now.” She sighed. “It ain’t idea, you now, what we got goin’ on. I ain’t really interested in seein’ anyone. Marryin’ someone else, or dating for that matter. Keepin’ care of my daddy, Dean, the boys, and the salvage yard, that’s what's important. My momma left when I was two.” She explained. 

“I think I understand.” Castiel frowned.

“You're the best thing to ever happen to him.” She looked at him, eyes wide, a grin on her lips.

“Huh?”

“He talks about you nonstop. The kids, they know, honestly I think they get it better than anyone else. Sammy feels miserable about being the reason his older brother and his surrogate older sister are married.” She laughed. “Let me show you around.” She stood, motioning for him to follow her.

The door he had entered opened into the kitchen and dining room. They had been sitting at a large oak table. Through an archway, there was a small living room, probably from where the boys had originated earlier. A couch, loveseat, and recliner framed the walls, a television much too big was hung on the wall. Under it a stand with two game systems. There were four bean bags strone around, and a play pen. 

The walls were adorned with pictures. “That’s Aunt Ellen, and our cousin Jo. Ellen’s husband was my momma’s brother.” She explained. “Ellen runs the Roadhouse, Dean I think has taken you there a time or two.” Castiel nodded, he recognized the two.

“That’s my daddy!” She pointed at a gruff looking man, “His business partner, Rufus Turner.” A older black man’s picture hung next to it.

He followed her down a hallway, then up a old wooden staircase. “This is Sammy’s room, he get’s his own.” Sam’s door had several Stanford logo’s on it. “That mess is obviously shared by Lucas, Ben, and Adam.” She offered, he peeked in, seeing bunk beds, and an elevated bed across from it. Under the elevated bed a lego kingdom had been constructed. Each wall was painted a different color. One green, one red, one blue, and one yellow.

“This is the nursery.” She indicated. The whole room was soft green, “Dean built the crib.” She supplied. Toys for an infant scattered around the room. “That’s my room, it is connected to the nursery, see the arch?” Castiel nodded. 

“That’s Dean’s room.” She indicated to the last room at the end of the hallway. “That’s the bathroom, and spare room.” She smiled at him. “The dogs, has Dean told you about the dogs?” Cas nodded. “They are out back, wanna meet Cap and Bucky?” Cas nodded, following the girl out the back.

Outside Castiel came face to face with two incredibly large dogs. “What are they?” He whispered.

“English Mastiffs. I… they were an anniversary gift two years ago.” 

“How much do they weigh?”

“About 200 a piece.” 

“Can I?”

“Yeah, they are big babies.” She grinned watching him call the dogs up to him. “Your taking this better than I thought you would have.”

“Dean mentioned he had family responsibilities. I never realized it was this, but… I understand why he was hesitant. I mean, I could see how explaining to the guy you’ve sort of been seeing for five months that you're married to your… adoptive sister?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds like incest.” She laughed. “Dean is gonna be home around five. He had to drive up to Rufus’ house to pick up some parts for a couple cars he and daddy are working on.” She grinned. “I hear you're a good cook, wanna help me, and get to know the kids?”

“Sure, sure, I’d like to be around, yeah.” Castiel nodded.

“Cool, I’ll get the gator, and we can ride up to daddy’s.”

“Gator?”

“Miniature jeep, four wheeler type thing, I’ll show you, it’ll be better than walking.”

“Ah, ok. How’d the dogs get their names?”

“Dean is pretty sure James Buchanan Barnes and Steve Rogers are boning each other, I mean I see his logic, Cap did spend two movies chasing Bucky, and pretty much fighting everyone who tried to say Bucky was bad…”

“I see the logic.” Castiel laughed, trailing behind the younger girl.

“How old are you?” She quirked, opening the shed doors.

“Twenty nine.” Castiel offered.

“How did you and Dean meet, he was very… vague about it.” She grinned.

“At Lucky’s, out on eight.” Castiel offered, letting her buckle him into the gator, confused by the multiple clips. “He offered to teach me to play pool, handsy jerk.”

She laughed. “That is true, he gets handsy, did you pool game improve?”

“Yeah.” Castiel laughed. “It’s loads better now.”

She climbed in the driver's seat, buckling herself in, then the engine roared to life, they flew through the woods. Castiel would never admit the loud shrieks he let out. When they skidded to a stop, he was greeted by yet another pair of dogs, this breed a little more recognizable.

“Tonka, Tank, please move.” She rubbed behind their ears, and motioned for Castiel to follow. “Daddy! Dad!” She shouted.

“In here, baby.” A voice waved through the house.

“This way, Cas.” She grinned.

“Who's that with you?” The older man, in flannel, and a ball cap asked.

“This is Dean’s Cas.” She offered.

“How ya holdin’ up son? The mood he left out in, must have been some humdinger of a fight.”

“It was my fault, I pressured him to tell me about you guys, and why he couldn’t move in with me, but I understand now.” Castiel offered. 

“It’s a lot to wrap yer head around, but Dean shoulda mentioned he was a dad, at least.” 

“Bobby Singer, Castiel Novak, Cas, Bobby.” She facilitated. “Atlas asleep?”

“He fell asleep by the time Sammy was up here, hon.” Bobby grinned. “Them idjit sons of yers are out playin’ in the salvage.”

“Great.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Cas, can you pick up Atlas, I’m gonna get my brats, daddy will you call Sammy up, I know he’s in yer library.”

“Sure, baby.” As she trodd off, Bobby stooped into the playpen and scooped up the curly blonde headed baby, then pressed him towards Castiel. “He ain’t breakable, son.” Bobby assured him before he disappeared. Castiel looked down at the little form in his arms, and grinned, the baby was unmistakably Dean’s.

Bobby returned, with the tall teenager from before. He had long brown floppy hair, with shimmering eyes. “Sammy, this is Cas.”

“Nice to meet you!” Sam smile at him. “Dean talks about you non-stop. I wanna get into Stanford, but I am struggling with Chemistry, do you think you could help me?”

“Sure, I teach Science and Math.” Castiel grinned, a slamming screen door drew his attention. Ariel was back, with Ben in a football hold, under her arm, and Adam in a choke hold, with her other arm. Lucas trailing behind her, his hands behind his head.

“Daddy, please explain to these idjits that they ain’t supposed to mess with the heavy machinery.” She dropped Ben unceremoniously hard, and released Adam.

“Boys ya know yer not supposed to mess with the crusher.” Bobby looked slightly amused.

Castiel was trying to come to terms with the short woman managing to corral all the boys, and still pack Dean those delicious pies he was so talkative about. “Get to the gator``, now, in the back, Sammy you too.” She ordered. “Cas is gonna ride up front with me an’ Atlas.” She ordered. “Daddy, can I have some of your deer meat.”

“Sure, baby.” Bobby disappeared, then showed back up with a box of meat. Handing it to Sammy. Once everyone was loaded, Atlas was wide awake and squirming, Ariel bucked Atlas in with Castiel then climbed in next to him, starting the gator and heading them back through the woods at a much slower pace.

Once back at the house, everyone wanted to show Castiel their belongings. Sam showed him his room, the trio showed him everything in their room, and then the xbox. Ariel was digging out several sides for supper. Castiel soon found himself watching the little woman move around the kitchen. “Atlas has separation anxiety, it's probably mine and Dean’s fault. He was the first little baby Dean ever was around, other than Sammy, and he was real little then. Dean held him a lot, more than he should have. Atlas even likes sleeping with Dean more than me, if you hold him he won’t fuss.” She offered. 

“Sure.” Castiel smiled. He adored children, he didn’t see him having any kids of his own. Gay marriage wasn’t legal, and it was extremely hard to get approval for adoption. The first time he had ever even considered having a family was when Dean walked into his life.

Castiel was having fun sitting on the living room floor, playing with Atlas whilst the other kids sit around the table working on their homework. Sam helping the younger three, and Ariel helping Sam when he needed it. Sunday ritual, Castiel would guess, he knew that Dean worked a lot, and he imagined that Ariel did too. “Who keeps Atlas and gets the kids off the bus?”

“Actually, daddy does. I work at the hospital, I’m a Physician’s Assistant, work under Doctor Meg Masters, in pediatrics over at Lawrence Medical Center.” Ariel offered, humming from where she was cooking in the kitchen. “Dean works at the garage, as you know, and… he’s an EMT. Does some stuff with the fire department. Where do you teach, Cas?”

“Lawrence Valley High School.” He muttered, helping Atlas stand, and then letting him pull himself closer, little pudgy fist clenching onto Castiel’s soft grey button down. He removed his tie and suit jacket before riding on the gator, relieved he had decided to wear khakis instead of dress slacks.

“Cool, Sammy goes there, but he’s only a freshman.” 

“Yeah, it’s my first year.” Sam supplied.

“I teach seniors, so you’ll have to wait to see me.” Castiel flashed him a smile, over the couch.

“Sam, apple or cherry or pecan?” Ariel asked.

A chorus of “Pecan.” Followed by Sam standing up, and pulling something from the top shelf. “If Cas is hoping to convince Dean he is sorry, this is the way to go.”

Castiel sighed. “We will both be apologizing.” Ariel offered. “Me for telling you everything, and you for liking him to damn much. Enough to show up with flowers.”

Within the next thirty minutes the unmistakable sound of the Impala tearing up the gravel road, made everyone’s eyes light up. “Shh, stay there,” Ariel ordered Castiel, “None of ya’ll mention he’s here.”

Next thing Castiel knew Dean was in the kitchen, he hear Ariel giggle, and watched as Dean kissed her forehead. “Somethin’ smells good, woman, and flowers? What’s the occasion? We ain’t havin’ another kid are we?”

She snickered, Castiel felt his breath catch as he stood, Dean still hadn’t looked towards the living room. “They are for you Dean.”

Dean whirled, surprise on his features, taking in Castiel’s gentle smile, Atlas balanced on Castiel’s hip. “Cas.”

“Hello, Dean.” Cas offered a shy smile. “I am so sorry, if I’d of known.” He gestured wildly with his free hand.

“No, Cas, baby, it’s my fault.” Dean surged forward, Ariel pausing her work to watch. “I should have… mentioned… but early on you didn’t think you wanted kids… and I got five… and a wife, those arn’t really things one can explain… oh shit, Ariel did you explain this? Cas, you must be so confused! I swear I can…” Before he could finish, Castiel caught his shirt front wiht his free hand, and drug Dean to him and Atlas, Castiel pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“It’s not a problem. I never wanted to get my hopes up, when it came to kids, because of the laws.” Castiel whispered into him. “Ariel is a peach, wonderful, and I’ve spent all afternoon here. I get why you couldn’t move in with me, I still want to live with you…”

Dean was speechless, Ariel watched with a bemused expression. “I’ve asked Cas to live here.”

Dean whirled on her, eyes wide, mouth open. “Only if it’s ok with you.” Castiel quirked from behind him. 

“The boys like him, and Atlas took to him better than he did Jo.” Ariel explained.

Castiel burst with laughter as Dean scooped Ariel up, spinning her around in his arms, before kissing her quick on the lips and dove towards Castiel again, a wide grin on his face. “I could get used to coming home to the biggest loves of my life.” 

Dean gently took Atlas from Castiel, then pressed his face into Castiel’s neck. “Then I would love to live here.” Castiel laughed.


End file.
